A display panel used for a display device such as a liquid crystal television does not emit light, and thus a lighting device is generally provided. A direct type of lighting device and an edge-light type lighting device are known as the lighting devices used for such a display device. The direct type lighting device has light sources arranged behind a display panel. The edge-light device has light sources arranged at the edges of a display panel. The edge-light device converts light from the light sources to flat planer light by a light guide plate and emits the flat planer light toward the display panel. Each of the lighting devices includes a light source and a chassis. The chassis houses the light source and has an opening on the display panel side. An LED board may be used for the light source.
A direct type lighting device (Patent Document 1, for example) is configured such that a reflection member is arranged on a bottom plate of a chassis and an LED board is arranged on the rear side of the reflection member (between the chassis and the reflection member). The reflection member has holes through which LEDs project toward the front side. Spacers are arranged at multiple locations of the bottom plate of the chassis, and thus the spacers maintain a predetermined distance between the LED board and a diffuser plate that is arranged on the opening side of the chassis. The spacers project from the bottom plate of the chassis toward the front side. The spacers are in contact with the diffuser plate from the rear side of the diffuser plate. Each of the spacers has a stopper portion on a chassis side. Each stopper portion passes through the reflection member and the bottom plate of the chassis and stops at the rear side of the chassis. This fixes the spacer to the bottom plate of the chassis.
The edge-light type lighting device (Patent Document 2, for example) is configured such that a light guide plate is housed in a chassis and LED boards are arranged opposite the edges of the light guide plate. Spacers are arranged in areas of each LED board in which LEDs are not arranged. The spacers maintain a predetermined distance between the LED boards and the light guide plate. The spacers project longer than the LEDs and are in contact with the edges of the light guide plate. The spacers are fixed to each LED board with screws or adhesives.
Each of the lighting devices includes spacers to maintain a predetermined distance between the LED board and the optical member (the diffuser plate or the light guide member). Thus, uneven brightness is less likely to occur.